Electrical switch gear



y sept, 1s, 1928. 1,684,694

F. COATES ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR Filed March 12, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E, Mm

4 Sheds-Sheet 2 Sept. 18, 1928.

F. coATEs ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR Filed March l2, 1 926 F/GZ.

Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,694 K F. coATEs v ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR med March 12, 192e.V ,4 Sheets-sheet F.- ce2/TESI4 f ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR sept. 1s, 192:3A

4 sheets-sheet 4- Filed March' l2, 1926 Mire-lv row Patented Sept. 18, 1928'.y

iiruTsD` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK COATES, OF (JILFIELADON,l ENGLAND; ASSIGNOR TO A. REYROLLE & COMPANY LIMITED, OF HEBBURN-ON-TYNE, ENGLAND, A COMPANY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEAR.

Application filed March 12, 19,26, Serial No,

This invention relates to electrical switchgear of the armoured draw-out type. With such switchgear, more especially when used tor kautomatic substation work, it is o ften necesary to provide a number of auxiliary switchesv to be actuated 'from thev operating mechanism of the main oilk switch. The usual practice hitherto has; been to 'mount such auxiliary switches in boxes carried 0n the main switch 'and to connect their actuating mechanisms directlyfwith the main` switch operating mechanism. This arrangekment necessitates the provision of a large rnumber of plug and socket connections,

whichr engage with one another when the ydraw'out portion of the switch gear is moved into its operative position and which all have to be properly aligned. I

vThe present invention-hasl forl its ob] ect to avoid the necessity of providing and f aligning a large number of plugs, and to this end according totheinvention theauxiliary switches are mounted on the. fixed portion of the switchgear'together with ac* tuating mechanism` therefor, and means are provided whereb when the-draw-out portion of the switc gear isin its closed posi-Y tion the operation of the main switch contacts is caused to actuate also the auxiliary switches. c l y The actuating mechanism for the lauxiliary switchesmay be operated mechanicallyor electromagneticall from the operating mechanism for t er main switch.y In. the former case the yactuating mechanism for the vauxiliary switches is connected toy the main switch operating mechanism throng a coupling which is brought into engagement when the draw-out'portion ,of the'switchgear is moved into itsclosed position. In the latter case the electromagnet or electromagnets'operatingthe auxiliary switch actuating'mechanism are controlled by `a single auxiliary switch [directly actuatedl by the main switch operating mechanism. I

The inventionkmay be carriedfinto practice in various ways but two alternative preferred .constructions according Vthereto are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings,in which 0 n Figures 1 and 2 show respectively front 94,303, and in Great Britain May 19, 1925.

and side elevations of one construction employing mechanical operation,

y Figures 3 and 4; show similar views of a construction yemploying electromagnetic operation, and f Figure 5 is a diagram showing' the elec-- trical circuits in the construction of Figures 3 and 4. f y

In the construction of Figures l and 2, the draw-out portion A of theswitchgear carries as is usual the oil tank A1 containig the main switch contacts indicated at A2, andy in the example illustrated is mounted to slide on guides B1 carried bythe iixed portion B of the switchgear. The main switch contacts are operated by suitable mechanism from a handle A and part of this operating mechanism is indicated at A4. A link C isr connected at one end to one member of this operating mechanism and is pivoted at its other end to one arm C1 ot' a two-armed lever. The other arm C2 of this lever has a pin-andslot connection with a rod D, which can slide longitudinally in guides D1 (carried on the drawbut portion A of the gear) and has inclined end face D2.

In the drawing the parts are' shown in the closed position of the main switch, and in this position the inclined end-face D2 of the rod D engages with a roller E carried by a plunger E1,which can slide in a cylinder E2 mounted on the iixed portion B of the gear. This plunger El is normally pressed `into its lowermost position by means of a spring E3, and is raised into the position shown in the drawings by the movement of the rod D. The plunger El has pivoted to it one end of a link F, whose other `end Aoperates a crank arm F1 mounted on a shaft carrying the movable contact members F2 of the auxiliary switches.

The auxilary switches are conveniently carried within a box F3 which is mounted in a suitable position on the framework of the fixed portion B of the gear, such for example as in front of the frame either above (as shown) or .below the drawout portion, or at the back orV side of the frame. Provision may be made, if desired, for a time relay in the operation of some or all of the auxiliary switches.

Inthis construction when the main switch contacts S12 are opened, the rod D is withdrawn and the spring E3 causes the roller E to ride down the inclined tace D2 of the rod and thereby to open the auxiliary switches. Removal ot the draw-out portion ot the gear pulls the end of the rod D away from the roller ll Twhen the draw-out portion of the gear pushed hach into its closed position, t-he end ot the rod D will be brought up against the roller E but will. not act to raise the roller and the plunger until the main switch mechanism is operated.

Figures 23 and stshow an alternative arrangement in which the auxiliary switches are operated electromagnetically when the main switch mechanism is operated. In this construction the auxiliary switches are again mounted in a box (l carried by the iixed portion ot' the gear indicated at G1. These switches are in this case, however, actuated through av lever mechanism by means ot' two clectromagnets H H1 mounted tor example on top ot' the auxiliary switch box G.

The draw-out portion ot the gear is not shown in the drawings, but it is to be understood that it is constructed in the usual manner and that it carries an auxiliary switch which is directly7 actuated by the main switch operating mechanism. The connections for this auxiliary switch are taken through a single three-way plug. which is closed when the draw-out portion ot' the gear occupies its closed position. In the diagram of Figure 5, the main switch is indicated at J and this auxiliary switch at J1. and it will be seen that the auxiliary switch J1 acts to determine which ot the operatingl coils H H1 oiC the electromagnets is in circuit. The cir cuits to these coils also contain two oit the auxiliary switches G2 G3 contained in the switch box G. These two switches l2 G3 may be combined together to 'form a single two-way switch, it desired.

Returning to igures 3 and at, it will be seen that the armatures ot the electromagnets lil and H1 are connected respectively to cranks l lil on a shaft K2, the arrangement being such that energization of one coil will act to rotate the shalt in a direction opposite to that due o encrgization ot the other coil. i crank L on the shatt K2 carries a pin L1 engaging in a slot L2 in a lever arm L3 rotatably mounted on the shff't lil which carries the movable Contact members of the auxiliary switches. second lever arm lil, also rotatably mounted on the shalt Eil. engages with the lever arm L3 through a claw clutch lll. which allows a small amo int ot tree motion. rEhe second lever arm N is controlled by means ot compression spring 0 carried on an arm O1 pivoted at O2 to a braclret O3 on the wall ot the switch box G. @n the side remote from the claw clutch N1 the lever arm ll engages through second claw clutch N2 with a member M1 ct rried on the shalt hi, this second claw clutch also allowing a small amount ol tree motion.

ris shown in the drawings the parts are in the positions occupied when the main switch is open. and in this position the auxili ary switch G2 is closed and the switch G3 is open. Since the auxiliary switch JL is in circuit 'ith the coil lll and not with the coil ll in this position, no current is supplied to either electromaguet. it now the main switch l is closed, the au.iliary switch J1 moves over into circuit with the coil H and this coil is therefore energized. vts armature will act on the crank l to rotate the shaft K2, so that the lever arm L3 will act through the. claw clutch N1 to rotate the lever arm N about the shalt M compressing the spring D. The second claw clutch N2 is arranged to engage when the lever arm N has nearly come into line with the arm G1, i. e. when the spring O is almost lully compressed. rllhe continued `movement 4of the lever arms therefore causes rotation of the shat't lil and the auxiliary switches are operatech a snap action heilig obtained by the Sudden release of the spring O when the centre line is passed (this sudden release heing` allowed by the tree motion ot' the claw clutch N1). rlhe rotation ot the shai't M causes the operation oit the auxiliary switches including the switches G2 and G, and. the opening oit the switch G2 deenergizes the coil 'il' whilst the closing of the switch G prepares the circuit to the coil H1. this circuit not bcing completed until the auxiliary switch l1 is again moved over when the main switch J is opened. An exactly similar series ot operations taires place when thn main switch is opened as a result ol' which all the parts are brought bach to the positions shown. lt will be noticed that the coil lil is energized when the main switch is closed and is decuergized when the auxiliar f switches operate, whilst the coil H1 is energized when the main switch is opened and is deenergized again as soon as the auxiliary switches operate. The electro-magnets are thus always inoperative ui'ilessthc auxiliary switches are actually heing` operated.

rlhe actualk arrangement of the auxiliary switches may varyv according to requirements. rilhus thel nay cach have only a single set of contacts which is opened or closed when the main switch is closed and vice versa7 or some or all ot the auxiliary switches may have two sets ot contacts one of which is opened and the other closed when the main switch is closed. Again some of the switches may be early-acting (i. e. operated immediately or with only short time-delay after the main switch operatd), whilst some are late-acting or have a relatiif'ely lonetime-delay in their operation.

It is to be understood that the two alternative arrangements above described in de-.

tail have been given byvway of example only, and` that they maybe modified lin various ways withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. i y,

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters `Patent is l. In electric switchgear'of the armoured draw-'out type', the combination with the operating mechanism for the main switch contacts carried on the` draw-out portion of the switchgear, of a number of auxiliary switches mounted on the fixed portion of the gear, actuating mechanism for such auxiliary switches also carried on 'the fixed portion of the gear, a coupling which is brought into engagement when the draw-out portion is `moved into its closed position and is disengaged when the draw-out portion is withdrawn, and means whereby the operation of the main switchcontacts causes power to be transmitted through the coupling when engaged, for the actuation of the auxiliary switches.

2. In electric switchgear of the armoured draw-out type, the combination with the fixed and draw-out portions of the switchgear, of main switch contacts, koperating mechanism for the main switch contacts, such contacts and their operating mechanism being carried onv the draw-out portion of the gear, a plurality of auxiliary switches, actuating mechanism for ythe auxiliary switches, such switches and their actuating mechanism being carriedy on thev fixed portion of the gear, two members mounted respectively on the fixed and draw-out portions of the gear and adapted to engage with one another when-the draw-out portion is in its 'closed position, and means for transmitting power from the main switch operating mechanism through the two members when vengaged to the auxiliaryfswitch actuating mechanism whereby the operation of the main switch contacts is caused to actuate also the auxiliary switches. v

3. In electric switchgear of the armoured draw-out type, the combination with the operating mechanism for the main yswitchY contacts carried on the draw-out portion of the switchgear, of a number of auxiliary switches mounted on the fixed portion of the gear, actuating mechanism for such auxiliary switches also carried on the fixed portion of the gear, ia eoupling'which' is brought into engagement when the draw-out portion is moved into its closed position, and means whereby power for the actua-tion yof the auxiliary switchesfis transmitted mechanically fromfthe main switch operating mechanism through the coupling to the auxiliary switch actuating mechanism.

4, In electric` switchgear vof the armoured draw-out type, the combination with the operatingA mechanism for the mai-n switch contacts carried on the draw-out portionof the switchgear, of a number kof .auxiliary switches mounted'on the fixed portion of the gear, a kshaft carrying the movable contact members ofthe auxiliary switches, a driven member carried on the fixed portion of the gear and operatively connected to the contact-carrying shaft, a driving member carried by the draw-out portion of the gear and operatively connected tothe main switch operating mechanism, and means whereby power for the actuation of the auxiliary switches is transmitted from the driving member to the driven member when the draw-out portion ofthe-gear is in its closed position.

5. In electric switchgear of the armoured draw-out type, the combination with the operating mechanism for the main switch contacts carried on the draw-out portion of the switchgear, of a number of auxiliary switches mounted on the fixed portion of the gear, a shaft carrying the movable contact members of the auxiliary switches, a'driven member carried on the fixed portion of the gear and operatively connected to the contact-carrying shaft, a driving member carried by the draw-out portion of the gear and so arranged as to brought into operative engagement with the driven member when the draw-out portion is moved into its closed position, and means for imparting movement to the driving member when the `main switch contacts are operated, such ymovement being transmitted through the driven member for the actuation of the auxiliary switches. o

6. In electric switchgear of the armoured draw-out type, the combination with the operating mechanism for the main switch contacts carried on the draw-out portion of 1 means associated with the main switch oper? ating mechanism for moving the rod'longitudinally when the main switch contacts are operated, suoli movement being transmitted through thedriven memberV for the actuation of the auxiliary switches.

7. In electric switchgear of the armoured draw-out type, the combination with the operating mechanism for the main switch contacts carried on the draw-out portion of the switchgear, of a number of auxiliary switches mounted on the fixed portion of the gear, a shaft carrying the movable contact members of the auxiliary switches, a longiiioA tudinally movable rod Carried on the drawout portion of the gear and having an inclined end-face. a roller so disposed on the fixed portion of the gear as to engage with the inclined end-face of the rod when Jshe draw-ont portion of the gear is in its Closed position7 n plunger carrying the rollerr` :i springnoting on Jche plunger and tendingJ to hold luhe roller in engagement With the inclined end-face, means whereby movement of the plunger is caused to rook the Contactearrying shaft, and means associated with the main switch operating mechanism for moving the rod longitudiimlly when the main switch contacts are operaed.

In lestimony whereof l have signed my nenne o this specification,

FRANK COATES. 

